NON-LINEAR PROJECTIONS OF 3-D MEDICAL IMAGING DATA
First Claim
1. A method of generating an image of an anatomical region within an eye, said eye being examined by an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system, said OCT system including a light source for generating a beam of light, a sample arm, a reference arm, and a detector for measuring light combined from the sample and reference arms, said method comprising the steps of:
- scanning the beam of light over a region of the eye via the sample arm;
a. combining the light from the sample and reference arms;
b. measuring the combined light to generate three dimensional volume image data of the eye;
c. identifying a first surface within the image data;
d. identifying a subvolume of the image data, said subvolume being identified based upon the identification of the first surface, said subvolume including the anatomical region;
e. selecting a set of image points within the subvolume, said image points being selected by evaluating a plurality of ray projections extending through the subvolume and identifying one image point in each projection, wherein each of the identified image points has a common intensity attribute;
f. generating an image based on information associated with the selected set of image points; and
g. storing or displaying the image.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention improves projection displays of volume data. Using the Minimum Intensity Projection (MinIP), fluid filled regions or other regions of hyporeflective tissue are displayed. By limiting the projection to partial volumes within the volume, differences in the scattering intensity within specific regions are isolated. In this way, hyperreflectivity of weakly scattering tissue can be assessed.
33 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of generating an image of an anatomical region within an eye, said eye being examined by an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system, said OCT system including a light source for generating a beam of light, a sample arm, a reference arm, and a detector for measuring light combined from the sample and reference arms, said method comprising the steps of:
scanning the beam of light over a region of the eye via the sample arm; a. combining the light from the sample and reference arms; b. measuring the combined light to generate three dimensional volume image data of the eye; c. identifying a first surface within the image data; d. identifying a subvolume of the image data, said subvolume being identified based upon the identification of the first surface, said subvolume including the anatomical region; e. selecting a set of image points within the subvolume, said image points being selected by evaluating a plurality of ray projections extending through the subvolume and identifying one image point in each projection, wherein each of the identified image points has a common intensity attribute; f. generating an image based on information associated with the selected set of image points; and g. storing or displaying the image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for obtaining an image of an eye comprising:
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a. an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system, said system including a light source for generating a beam of light, a sample arm, a reference arm, a detector for measuring light combined from the sample and reference arms, and a scanner for scanning the light beam over the eye, said system generating a volume of intensity information; and b. a processor for selecting a subvolume of intensity image information from the volume of intensity information and thereafter generating a two dimensional image derived by identifying a single image point associated with each of a plurality of ray projections extending through the subvolume; and c. one of a display or a memory, said display for displaying the image and said memory for storing the image. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method of ophthalmic imaging comprising:
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a. obtaining a volume image of the eye; b. identifying a subvolume of image information within the volume image; c. generating a set of two dimensional intensity projections within the subvolume, the intensity projections being derived by identifying a single image point associated with each of a plurality of ray projections extending through the subvolume; d. selecting one of the set of intensity projections; and e. storing or displaying the determined intensity projection.
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20. A method of ophthalmic imaging comprising:
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a. obtaining a volume image of the eye; b. identifying a subvolume of image information; c. casting a plurality of projection rays through the subvolume; d. identifying a collection of locations along each projection ray, wherein the collection contains fewer locations than all of the locations of the projection ray within the subvolume; e. determining an intensity value as a non-linear function of image intensity associated with the collection of locations for each ray; f. generating an image of the determined intensity values; and g. displaying the image.
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21. A method of generating an image of an anatomical region within an eye, said eye being examined by an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system, said OCT system including a light source for generating a beam of light, a sample arm, a reference arm, and a detector for measuring light combined from the sample and reference arms, said method comprising the steps of:
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a. scanning the beam of light over a region of the eye via the sample arm; b. combining the light from the sample and reference arms; c. measuring the combined light to generate three dimensional volume image data within the eye; d. identifying a subvolume of data located between a pair of surfaces within the eye; e. selecting a set of image points within the subvolume, said image points being selected by evaluating a plurality of ray projections extending through the subvolume and identifying one image point in each projection, wherein each of the identified image points has a minimum intensity; f. generating an image based on the selected set of image points; and g. storing or displaying the image.
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Specification